1. Technical Field
This invention relates to chairs and, more particularly, to a combination ergonomic chair and seat pivoting mechanism for assisting a user to transfer their body mass between sitting and standing positions.
2. Prior Art
Persons recovering from surgery, suffering from arthritis, or otherwise partially incapacitated are often incapable of lifting themselves from a sitting position without the assistance of another person. Persons with muscle weakness or other conditions also find it difficult to lower themselves carefully and safely to a sitting position. One of the solutions proposed for enabling these persons to rise out of a chair without the assistance of another is to provide a chair to lift the occupant with the seat to at least a partially standing position, or provide a seat to meet a user backside before a user has reached a fully sitting position.
One prior art example shows an assist chair that includes a frame for pivotally mounting a seat. A pair of springs attached to the seat bias the seat upwardly to assist the user to a standing position. A movable attachment point for an end of the springs distal from the seat attachment point allows the upward biasing force applied to the seat to be varied from the force which would result from a fixed attachment point for the springs. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not provide a counter weight to assist a user in raising or lowering a user body weight during operating conditions.
Another prior art example shows a lift chair that has a base frame, an extendable/retractable chair occupant positioning apparatus attached to the base frame, and a reversible D.C. motor for extension and retraction of the chair occupant positioning apparatus relative to the base frame. A control means is connected to the D.C. motor for actuation of the chair occupant positioning device. A power supply is connected to the control means for motor control. A chair occupant carriage is supported by the base frame. The carriage has a seat and a back portion. Unfortunately, this prior art example requires a power source to utilize the chair, which may not be available, thus rendering the invention useless for its intended purpose. In addition, the large size of this chair impedes its use at kitchen tables or desks, as examples.
Accordingly, a need remains for a combination ergonomic chair and seat pivoting mechanism in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an assembly that is convenient and easy to use, is lightweight yet durable in design, and assists a user to transfer their body mass between erect and seated positions. Such an assembly is beneficial for the elderly and those who are physically impaired. The assembly advantageously assists the user to conveniently stand and sit without the assistance of another. The assembly can effectively provide independence and confidence for users who otherwise need help to sit or stand. The assembly is inexpensive, simple to use, and designed for many years of repeated use.